Firefighters rescue trapped bird in St Neots

A BIRD entangled in fishing line had to be rescued by firefighters yesterday (Sunday).

A BIRD entangled in fishing line had to be rescued by firefighters yesterday (Sunday).

The seagull had become trapped in a tree on an island in Riverside Park lake in St Neots.

Two crews from St Neots and Huntingdon and a rescue vehicle from Huntingdon were called at around 1.20pm on Sunday.

Firefighters in water rescue gear used a ladder to reach the bird and free it from the tree.

They then cut away the fishing line and released the bird, which was unharmed, and returned to their stations by 3pm.

Eddie Theaker, watch manager at Huntingdon Fire Station, said: “Quite a crowd had gathered and some people were tempted to attempt to rescue the bird themselves.

“This could have been risky as there can always be hidden dangers in water, even if it seems quite shallow. Never attempt a rescue yourself. Contact the fire service, as we are trained to deal with these situations.

“We also used the opportunity to give out water safety advice to families who had gathered to watch.”